Riser deck

ABSTRACT

Elongated metal risers are oriented perpendicular to the front end of a shelf, and extend from proximate the front edge of the shelf to at least the rear edge of the shelf. A package stored on the shelf is advantageously supported by left and right side risers and a center riser disposed beneath therebetween, thereby forming left and right insertion channels adjacent the center riser. In storing and retrieving objects from the shelf, a forklift machine advances with its left and right forks aligned with the left and right insertion channels, until the forks are securely under the object. By this configuration, a package lacking apertures for receiving the blades of a forklift machine does not need to be secured to a wooden pallet in order to safely maneuver the package on or off of a storage shelf by a forklift machine or similar device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/049,268 filed Mar. 14, 2008, the contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of warehouse storage devices.More specifically, the present invention relates to pallet risers whicheliminate the need for wooden pallets in warehouse storage operations.

BACKGROUND

For decades, the methods and apparatus used in warehouse storage havechanged very little. FIG. 1A illustrates an exploded view of a standardwooden pallet 100 similar to those which are used in warehouse storageoperations. The top half of the wooden pallet 100 is made up of parallelwooden deck boards 101. The deck boards rest on, and are secured to,three parallel stringer boards 105 which are aligned perpendicular tothe deck boards. The outer stringer boards 105A, 105C are disposed alongthe outer edges of the deck boards, and the center stringer board 105Bis disposed halfway between the outer stringer boards. Typically, thedeck boards are secured to the stringer boards by nails or high-strengthstaples. The bottom half of the pallet is identically constructed ofthree parallel stringer boards 105D, 1OSE, 105F, secured to a pluralityof lower deck boards 103. The top and bottom halves of the pallet aresecured to each other by wooden spacer blocks 107 disposed along thestringer boards.

Within industry, the “width” of a wooden pallet is generally the lengthof the deck boards, and the “length” of a wooden pallet is generally thelength of the stringer boards. Regardless of the number of spacer blocks107 disposed along the stringer boards, a pallet is normally configuredto receive the insertion of forklift blades according to the orientationof directional arrows FLB 1. As used throughout this disclosure, this“insertion” side will be referred to as the “front” of the pallet.Because of the symmetry on most pallets the reader will appreciate thata forklift machine can similarly insert its forklift blades from therear of the pallet. If three spacer blocks are evenly spaced along eachstringer board, a forklift machine will also be able to insert itsblades between the upper and lower portions of the pallet from the“side” of the pallet, as illustrated by directional arrows FLB2. Woodenpallets capable of receiving an insertion of forklift machine bladesfrom only the front and back are typically known as “two-way” pallets.Wooden pallets that can also receive forklift blade insertion from theleft and right sides are typically known as “four-way” pallets

FIG. 1B discloses the wooden pallet of FIG. 1A in an assembled state. Inmany pallets, the bottom half of pallet 100 if typically identical indesign to the upper half, such that the pallet will function identicallyregardless of which side is facing up. A benefit of this design is thatif one or more of the wooden deck boards 101 on one side of the palletare damaged, a warehouse worker may flip the pallet such that the topside of the pallet comprises undamaged wooden deck boards more suitablefor supporting various commodities and goods. The insertion slots 109Aand 109B receive fork lift blades at the front and rear of the pallet,and, for four-way pallets, insertion slots 1 iIA, 111B along the sidesof the pallet can also receive fork lift blades.

In an alternative embodiment of prior art wooden pallets, “runners” (notshown) approximately the same height as wooden spacer blocks extend thelength of the pallet in place of the stringer boards of FIG. 1A.Alternatively, runners may be used in conjunction with stringer boards,each runner being disposed between an upper stringer board and acorresponding lower stringer board in an assembled palette. Runners mayhave horizontally elongated mouse-hole type slots cut therein, providing“four way” access to a pallet by a fork lift machine.

FIG. 2 depicts a package of goods 201 affixed to a disposable pallet 203which itself rests on a wooden pallet 100. The package 201 is wrappedwith strapping bands 205 which are typically made from either steel ornylon. The strapping bands 205 may be tightened by a strapping machine(not shown) or a hand held tightening device (also not shown) andsecured in a taut condition by a wire loop buckle 207 for nylonstrapping bands or a metal crimp buckle (not shown) for steel strappingbands. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the strapping bands 205 secure thepackage 201 to the disposable pallet 203. A disposable pallet 203 istypically made principally of cardboard, or a combination of cardboardand wood. A disposable pallet 203 is typically less expensive tofabricate than a wooden pallet 100. However, disposable pallets do notnormally have insertion slots into which forklift machine blades may beinserted, and are not as rugged as wooden pallets. However, by using adisposable pallet 203 in conjunction with a typical wooden pallet 100,as shown in FIG. 2, the insertion slots 109A and 109B of the woodenpallet facilitate storage and retrieval of the wooden pallet, and anycontent stored thereon, by forklift machine 301 (FIG. 3). The disposablepallet 203 provides a stable and durable base for package 201. Dependingupon the weight, height, and the general stability of a package, when apackage with an integral disposable pallet is a placed on a woodenpallet, the package may be secured to the wooden pallet by means ofstrapping bands to provide additional stability when being moved by aforklift machine.

To initially position a package with a disposable pallet onto a woodenpallet, a variety of techniques are used by warehouse workers. Forlighter packages, warehouse workers may tilt a package onto a back edge,slide a wooden pallet underneath it, and lower the package onto thewooden pallet. Because this process typically leaves the back edge ofthe package hanging off of the wooden pallet, warehouse workers willattempt to center the package on the wooden pallet by creeping thepackage toward the center of the wooden pallet, often standing on thewooden pallet during the process to prevent the wooden pallet fromsliding away.

In embodiments wherein the package is too heavy for warehouse workers totilt onto a back edge, or creep into a stable position in the center ofa wooden pallet, a forklift machine may be used. Forklift machinestypically have two parallel blades. Each blade has a vertical portionproximate forklift machine and a horizontal portion extending forwardfrom the bottom of the vertical portion. Fork lift machine blades aretypically formed from a continuous steel member such that the verticalportion and horizontal portion meet at a 90° bend at the bottom of thevertical portion of the forklift blades. The horizontal portion of afork lift blade is about an inch and a half thick, depending on the sizeof the forklift machine and the weight limit for which it is designed.The horizontal portion of the blade is tapered at the distal end of theblade thereby allowing a skilled forklift driver to advance the taperedend of the blades underneath packages resting on the floor.

When a forklift machine is used to place a package onto a wooden pallet,the forklift driver typically lowers the distal ends (the tips) of theblades to the warehouse floor, with the blades either parallel to thefloor, or tilted at a slight downward angle toward the tips. Theforklift driver advances the forklift machine toward the package withthe distal edge of the blades touching, or almost touching the floor,thereby sliding the blades underneath the package. The blades are thenraised, lifting the package off the warehouse floor, allowing warehouseworkers slide a wooden pallet underneath the package. The fork liftmachine then lowers the package onto the wooden pallet. To allow theforklift machine blades to be withdrawn without pulling the package offof the wooden pallet, the forklift machine driver may tilt the distalends of the forklift blades downward, thereby lowering the distal edgeof the package onto the wooden pallet. As the weight of the package isdistributed disproportionately along the back edge of the package, theforklift machine backs up, thereby withdrawing the blades so as to lowerthe bottom surface of the package out of the wooden pallet withoutdragging the package off of the wooden pallet. Because the positioningof a package onto a pallet is about one third art, one third science,and one third brute force, the technique described above is simplyoffered to be illustrative, and is not intended to limit the techniquesthat warehouse workers use to move large packages by fork lift.

It can be readily appreciated that the proper insertion of forkliftmachine blades to a desired depth under a package is usually dependentupon several factors. First, it is important that a warehouse floor besmooth and level so that the tapered (distal) ends of the forkliftblades can slide underneath the package, rather than piercing thepackage. A second factor influencing the depth of penetration of forklift blades under a package or disposable pallet is the angle of theforklift machine blades relative to the ground. To slide fork liftblades underneath a package or disposable pallet resting on the floor,the horizontal portion of the forklift blade is tilted “downward”slightly such that the distal end is the lowest portion of thehorizontal section. According to the judgment of the forklift machinedriver, this angle of downward tilt is typically between 1 degree and 15degrees. It can be appreciated that, as a forklift blade advancesbeneath a package, the angle of tilt will be transmitted to the packageitself, gradually lifting the proximal end of the package, therebyincurring progressively greater friction between the forklift blades andthe bottom of the package as the forklift machine advances. Eventually,a package may begin to slide backwards from this force before theforklift machine blades have been inserted to a proper depth. To ensureproper depth of insertion, a third factor considered by a forkliftmachine driver is speed, acceleration and breaking. If the forkliftmachine is advancing too slowly, excess friction between the package inthe blades may begin to push the package backwards before the forkliftblades are properly seated underneath the package. If the forkliftmachine is advancing too quickly, the blades will slide under thedisposable pallet until the face of the package impacts the verticalportions of the blades. The package is then driven backwards until thefork lift machine stops. if the forklift machine is advancing at anoptimal rate, the horizontal portions of the blades will slide all theway underneath the package until the vertical portions of the forkliftblades touch, or very nearly touch the forward face of the package.

It can be readily appreciated that while such techniques are appropriatefor sliding the blades of a forklift machine underneath a packageresting on a warehouse floor, they would be unworkable and evendangerous if used to retrieve packages stacked on top of each other, orstored on shelves. On the floor, a forklift machine can use thewarehouse floor to adjust the height of the tips of the forklift bladesbefore advancing toward a package. For retrieval from shelves, theproper height of the forklift blades can only be estimated. Forkliftblades that were too high could penetrate a package, dent the contentsstored within the package, or drive the package backward, possiblypushing it off the far end of the shelf. Forklift blades that arealigned to low can smash into a horizontal load beam along the forwardedge of a shelf, either progressively damaging shelf, or even tippingover an entire shelf, creating a costly and dangerous situation. Becauseof these limitations, stacked storage techniques known in the prior artseldom use forklift machines to store a heavy package on a shelf unlessthe package is disposed on a wooden pallet.

FIG. 3 discloses a forklift machine 301 retrieving a package 201 from astorage shelf 305. The forklift machine has forklift blades 303 areraised to approximately the height of a wooden pallet 100 to which apackage 201 is a secured. The package 201 is stored on the top shelf ofa high stack storage shelf 305. Typically, retrieval is performed byraising the forklift blades to the level of the insertion slots 109A,109B of wooden pallet 100 on which the palletized goods rest, andadvancing the forklift machine so as to insert the forklift blades intothe insertion slots. The pallet is raised when the blades are fullyinserted.

Returning to FIG. 2, even when packages include an integral disposablepallet, the package 201 is often secured to a wooden pallet by strappingbands to improve stability and safety when moved via a fork liftmachine. In securing a package in this manner, strapping bands aretypically threaded through the cavity between a upper and lower deckboards. Strapping bands running widthwise between the upper and lowerdeck boards secure the package to the wooden pallet by wrapping aroundthe outer stringer boards. Strapping bands running lengthwise betweenthe upper and lower deck boards secure the package to help by wrappingaround some or all of the deck boards.

To secure a large package to a pallet, the tensile force applied to eachstrapping band can be several hundred pounds. When a package is securedto a wooden pallet, the force transmitted by the strapping bands to thedeck boards is often enough to pull the deck boards off of the stringerboards, or even crack the deck boards.

In addition to the damage caused to wooden pallets by strapping bands,forklift machines progressively destroy wooden pallets. A collisionbetween the forklift blades 303 and the wooden spacer blocks 107frequency occurs during blade insertion. Because forklift machines aregenerally quite powerful, a single such collision can loosen, dislodge,or even split a wooden spacer block. Additionally, a forklift machineoften lacks sufficient room to approach a pallet head-on for directinsertion of forklift blades into the insertion slots 109A, 109B. Torotate a wooden pallet, a forklift machine driver will insert the tipsof the forklift machine blades into the insertion slots 109A, 109B, turnthe steering wheel of a forklift machine sharply, and backup, therebyforcing the forklift blades into the wooden spacers 107, exerting alateral force sufficient to rotate a pallet. The heavier the load, themore force is required to rotate the pallet. Again, the force requiredto perform this maneuver takes its toll on wooden spacers, which areeventually loosened, dislodged, or destroyed. Additionally, hand pallettrucks typically have a pump action handle that hydraulically raises thelift-blades relative to the wheels, exerting thereby downward forceagainst the wheels equal to the upward force necessary to raise thepallet. If the wheels are resting on a lower deck board, as the palletis raised by the hydraulic cylinder, a deck board pinned underneath thewheel is ripped from the stringer boards, or split in two.

Damage to wooden pallets is an ongoing process in most warehouseenvironments. Because of this, a large warehouse may have a team ofworkers dedicated to the continual repair of pallets. Alternatively, awarehouse they may simply purchase an inflow of new pallets. Even whenrepaired, most pallets reach their repair limit, after which they aresimply discarded, or disassembled and cannibalized for whatever usablewood might be left. This ongoing repairer and replacement of woodenpallets represents a significant expense for many companies.

Table 1 references the ten most common sizes of wooden pallets used inthe United States, along with the industries that frequently use theserespective sizes. Dimensions of Table 1 are in inches.

TABLE 1 Grocery 48 × 40 Telecom, Paint 42 × 40 Drums 48 × 48 Cement 40 ×48 Chemical 48 × 42 Dairy 40 × 40 Automotive 48 × 45 Drums, Chemical 44× 44 Beverage 36 × 36 Beverage, shingles, packaged paper 48 × 36

Because these ten sizes represent only about sixty percent of the totalnumber of pallets used in America, it can be readily appreciated thatthere is no “official” size for a pallet. Additionally, European nationsand other metric regions add to the variety of pallet sizes, asillustrated in Table 2. Dimensions of Table 2 are in centimeters.

TABLE 2 1/8 Euro 40 × 30 1/4 Euro 60 × 40 1/2 Euro 80 × 60 Euro ISO 1 80 × 120 Euro ISO 2 100 120 114 × 114 1iO × 110

Because of the expense in maintaining and replacing wooden pallets,industry has sought alternative solutions. Disposable cardboard palletshave been fitted with “feet” configured to raise a package a sufficientdistance from the ground to allow insertion of forklift blades beneaththe package. Feet integrally coupled to a carton or a disposable palletare often cylindrical in shape, or may define a conical frustum. Theyare commonly in the range of six inches in diameter, and may be formedfrom molded plastic, with flanges extending horizontally from the upperlimit of the cylinder. Corrugated cardboard layers above and below theseflanges secure the feet to the carton or disposable pallet. The additionof feet to a disposable pallet however, significantly increases the costof a carton or disposable pallet. Moreover, because a disposable palletlacks the rigidity and strength of a wooden pallet, such designs cannotfully replace the functionality of traditional wooden pallets, andsometimes function as a limitation.

There remains therefore need for a method and apparatus for eliminatingor reducing the ongoing expenses associated with procurement, repair andreplacement of wooden pallets while retaining many of the advantages ofwooden pallets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by wayof limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in whichlike reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1A depicts an exploded view of conventional prior art woodenpallet.

FIG. 1B depicts a perspective view of prior art the wooden pallet of 1A.

FIG. 2 depicts a package banded to a prior art disposable pallet restingon a conventional wooden pallet.

FIG. 3 depicts a side elevation view of a forklift machine retrieving apalletized package from a prior art multi-tier storage location.

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a plurality of metal risers restingon front and rear load beams out of a storage shelf.

FIG. 4A depicts an isolated view of the pallet stop shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 depicts a forklift machine retrieving a package from a shelvingsection fitted with the risers of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6A depicts an embodiment of an adjustable riser resting on frontand rear load beams.

FIG. 6B depicts a side view of the riser assembly of FIG. 6A as viewedfrom the perspective of cut lines 6B.

FIG. 6C depicts a riser not fixed to a load beam and having sidewallssplayed in opposite directions.

FIG. 6D depicts a riser with outward turned flanges secured in place bythreaded bolts.

FIG. 6E depicts a riser with inward turned flanges with through holesfor securement to a load beam.

FIG. 6F depicts a riser with a hard rubber nose cone for preventingsnagging, scraping, cutting, or other personal injury by the edges of ariser.

FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of a riser deck comprising multiple centerrisers with a riser stop extending between them.

FIG. 8 depicts a top plan view of a riser deck assembly wherein a singlecommon side-riser serves as a side riser for adjacent storage sections.

FIG. 9 depicts a side elevational view of a high rise shelf with riserdecks (left) and a high rise shelf with conventional pallets (right).

FIG. 10 depicts a wire deck embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an embodiment of the riser deck depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a riser deck comprising elongatedmetal risers 403A, 403B having a proximal end toward the lower left ofthe figure, and a distal end toward the upper right of the figure. Themetal risers are supported by front and rear riser-deck cross beams675A, 675B. As used herein, the term “section” of a shelf is used withreference to a width of shelving area configured to store a singlepalletized package (including a traditional wooden pallet and adisposable pallet) or a package or object of suitable size. The riserdeck assembly of FIG. 4 depicts a “deckless” embodiment. However, theriser deck embodiments described herein can also be used in conjunctionwith “decked” shelves, including, but not limited, to wire deck shelves.The elongated metal risers 403 are disposed in parallel alignment. Theproximate end of the metal risers preferably extends forward of thefront riser-deck cross beam 675A, and the distal end of the metal riserspreferably overhangs the rear riser-deck cross beam 675B. The riserswithin a shelving section are uniform in height H, and having sufficientstrength to support a package disposed thereon. In the embodimentdepicted in FIG. 4, a shelving section comprises two side risers 403A,and at least one center riser 403B disposed therebetween. The width W2of the center riser 403B is illustrated as being slightly narrower thanthe width W of the left and right side risers 403A. However, alternativeembodiments are envisioned wherein the width of the center riser isequal to, or greater the widths of the side risers 403A.

According to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, two insertion channels413 are formed on opposing sides of the center riser. Referring brieflyto FIG. 5, each of the insertion channels is configured to receive oneof the forklift blades 303 of a two-blade forklift machine. In a lesspreferred embodiment, a section of a shelving assembly may have nocenter riser, allowing a fork lift machine to store or retrieve apackage by inserting both blades into the expansive gap between the leftand right risers. Alternatively embodiments are also envisioned whereina section of a shelving assembly has multiple center risers, as depictedin FIG. 7.

One benefit of the riser shelving assemblies described herein is thattraditional wooden pallets are not needed to safely store and retrievepackages or disposable pallets by fork lift machine. Through the use ofmetal risers, the blades of a forklift machine can be positioned beneatha package by inserting the blades into the insertion channels 413,thereby allowing a forklift machine to store or retrieve any stable flatbottomed object or package whether or not it is stored on a woodenpallet, including, but not limited to, a corrugated cardboard box, awooden crate, a steel barrel (e.g. a 55 gallon drum), a wooden barrel, acardboard barrel, or an unpackaged item. However the use of palletrisers described herein does not prohibit the use of wooden pallets towhich a package or object may be already be secured. Accordingly,specific examples offered throughout this disclosure, which makefrequent reference to the storage and retrieval of a disposable pallets,are not intended to limit the uses and applications of the risersdescribed herein, nor should they be construed so as to the scope of theappended claims, which fully comprehend the storage of items andpackages as described throughout.

In view of the wide range of pallet sizes illustrated in Tables 1 and 2,the reader will readily appreciate that there is no “standard” width fora section of shelving, because there is no “standard” width of a pallet.Accordingly, a shelving section must be configured to accommodate thepackage or disposable pallet of a predetermined width. The overall widthof the shelving section of FIG. 4 is equal to the combination of thewidths WI of each of the side risers 403A, the width(s) W2 of the centerriser(s) 403B, and the widths W3 of each of the insertion channels 413,as well as additional space to the right on the right side and riser andthe left of the left side riser, into which the outer edges of a packetmay extend. In any embodiment, however, the width W3 of each insertionchannel 413 must be wide enough to receive a forklift blade, withreasonable tolerances for accommodating inaccuracies and positioning theforks of a forklift machine under normal warehouse conditions. Ideally,the width W3 of each insertion channel is greater than or equal to 12inches. However, in view of the wide range of potential wooden palletsizes historically available, storage sections with steel risers areenvisioned wherein the widths W3 of individual insertion channels 413are less than 12 inches.

Risers can be formed from a rigid material having sufficient strength tosupport the weight of objects stored thereon. As noted in conjunctionwith the prior art, fork lift machines often split the wooden blocks ofa pallet due to the force of impact. It can be readily appreciated that,in multi-tier shelves, fork lift machine drivers often work on racksabove there heads with limited vision, particularly resulting infrequent damage to pallets. It can be appreciated that risers formed ofwood would simply replicate the problems associated with wooden pallets.Accordingly, the preferred embodiment a metal alloy riser, and morepreferably a steel or aluminum alloy riser, which is impervious tosplitting, as experienced by wooden pallet blocks. However, specificreferences to steel risers, aluminum or metal risers throughout thisdisclosure are offered as examples, and are not intended to limitalternative riser embodiments envisioned within the scope of theappended claims, including, but not limited to risers comprised of othermetals and metal alloys, as well as fiberglass, wood, plastic, concrete,ceramic, clay, composites, polymers, epoxies and combinations thereof.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4, 6A and 6B, the metal risers are formedfrom elongated sheet steel having two right angle bends extending thelength of the metal sheet, thereby forming a horizontal support deck 409disposed between parallel left and right sidewalls 407A, 407B. Theheight of a riser is therefore approximately equal to the height of thesidewalls. The risers are preferably comprised of a steel alloy, andhaving a thick enough gauge to support anticipated loads, and towithstand the punishment of misdirected forklift machine blades withoutneeding requiring continual repair or replacement. Although the requiredmetal gauge of steel sheet will vary according to the width of a riser,the height of a riser, and the anticipated loads which will be storedthereupon, roll formed steel having a thickness of between 16 gauge and10 gauge is preferable for most risers. However, specific references to“steel sheet” are offered only as an example to more clearly explain andillustrated, and enable the reader to make and use the inventiondescribed in the appended claims. These specific examples are notintended to limit the scope of the appended claims, which envisionsalternative shapes and forms of steel and metal risers, including, butnot limited to, steel risers made from C-channel, structural steel, orsteel plate. I-beams preferably made of aluminum are also envisioned.Additionally, risers may be formed from any rigid material of sufficientstrength to store anticipated loads.

Because an excessive concentration of force on a small area can damagepackaging, and can even damage the contents stored therein, the combinedwidths of the side and center risers is preferably at least 20% of thetotal width of the package supported thereon, and more preferably atleast 30% of the total width of the package supported thereon, therebydistributing the weight of the package over a greater area. Moreover,embodiments are envisioned wherein the combined widths of the side andcenter risers are at least 40% of the total width of the packagesupported thereon and even more preferably at least 50% of the totalwidth of the package supported thereon. Depending upon the anticipatedwidth of a package to be stored in a shelving section, an embodiment ofFIG. 4 utilizes a center riser greater than or equal to about fourinches (100 mm) in width, and side risers greater than or equal to aboutleast six inches (150 mm) in width, thereby minimizing an excessiveconcentration of pressure on the bottom of the package. However, centerrisers less than 100 mm and side risers less than 150 mm are alsoenvisioned.

According to the depiction of FIG. 4, the risers slightly overhanging atleast part of the front and rear load beams, and more preferably, eachriser completely overhangs the front and rear load beams, therebyensuring that the weight of a package is not transmitted directly intoan unsupported portion of wire deck. This depiction, however, is notintended to limit alternative embodiments wherein the front and/or rearedges of a metal riser are flush with the corresponding front and rearedges of a shelf, or recessed so as to be disposed between the front andrear edges of the shelf.

To prevent a package from being stored too far to the rear of shelf, andpossibly falling off the rear of the shelf, pallet stops 405 aredisposed at the rear end of each riser. FIG. 4A depicts an isolated viewof an embodiment of a pallet stop shown in FIG. 4. The pallet stopped405 is formed from a rigid piece of wire having two parallel attachmentsegments 425 aligned along the x-axis. Both attachment segments 425comprise identical 90° upward bends, extending into parallel verticalmembers 427 aligned along the y-axis. The upper end of each verticalmember has a 90° bend inward along the z-axis, thereby forming ahorizontal stop ridge 429 extending between the upper ends of the twovertical members. As illustrated in phantom in FIG. 4, each of theattachment segments 425 is welded 431 in place at an interior cornerformed at the juncture of the horizontal support deck 409 and arespective left or right sidewall 407A, 407B. In an alternativeembodiment, a pallet stop may be formed by bending a portion of thehorizontal support deck 409 upward at approximately a 90 degree angle.

The rises are welded securely to the wire deck, as shown by welds 415 inFIG. 4. However, a variety of circumstances may arise wherein warehousepersonnel desire to alter the spacing of risers. For example, industrymay standardize pallet sizes to reduce the number of diverse sizes,requiring a warehouse to alter the space allotted for certain packagesor goods. A warehouse may begin to stock goods from a different source,or goods having a different “footprint.” Alternatively, warehousepersonnel may determine that the space between sections is too narrowfor the drivers of fork lift machines to store goods safely andefficiently. For these, and any other number of reasons, a warehouse maydesire pallet risers that are removable, slidable, or otherwiseadjustable, so that the width of specific select risers, or the spacingbetween select risers may be adjusted.

FIG. 6A illustrates an embodiment of a riser extending between the frontload beam 411A shown as a C-bracket and the rear load beam 411B alsoshown as a C-bracket. The riser 603 is removably secured to the frontand rear load beams by a securement mechanism 639, shown in FIG. 6B as athreaded bolt 640.

As used herein, the terms “bolt” and “screw” are used interchangeably,an include, but are not limited to grooved heads for standardscrewdrivers, cross grooves for Philips head or reed and prince screwdrivers, hex head bolts, allan wrench heads and torx wrench type bolts,and smooth head bolts that have no means on the bolt head for applyingtorque to the bolt. Because raised right angle bolts such as hex-head,torx wrench and allan wrench type bolt heads are more likely to catch ona package or strapping band during loading and unloading, threaded boltembodiments will preferably be include low profile round headed bolts,or countersunk flat head screws. However, the appended claims fullycomprehend any variety of cross pin securement devices, includingnon-threaded shafts such as cotter pins, and threaded cross pins withany type of head.

When tightened, a threaded bolt 640 of FIG. 6 will impart significantupward force into the bottom surface of hollow tubular load beam 613A,and a significant downward force on the top surface of the riser 603. Toprevent the indentation and destruction of these respective structures,a variety of force distribution methods may be used. As shown in theinset FIG. 6B, the force is distributed over a greater surface area onthe bottom surface of front load beam 613A and over the horizontalsupport deck of the riser 603 by means of a washer plates 647, 648. Thethreaded shafts 643 extend through respective holes within the washerplate, and are held securely in place a threaded nut 651 and lock washer649. Individual washers can be used in place of the washer plate if thewashers are large enough to distribute a force in a manner sufficient toprevent damage to the load beam.

Screwdriver slots can become gauged during rotation, forming sharp metaltags that can catch on packaging or strapping bands. In a preferredembodiment, therefore, smooth-head bolts 640 having a low roundedprofile heads 641 are used to secure a riser to a load beam, therebyeliminating the tags and sharp edges formed on a screwdriver slot. Thesection of shaft proximate the distal end of the smooth-head bolt is athreaded cylinder 643, and the section of shaft 642 coupled to the bolthead is non-cylindrical. Examples of non-cylindrical ends are boltshaving square shafts coupled to the bolt head. By this shaftconfiguration, the square segment of the shaft can be held in place by asquare hole in the washer plate, and the threaded end can be tightenedwith a nut without the need of a counter force applied to the head by atool. In addition to the use of lock washers to prevent loosening, achemical adhesive such as “Lock Tight” can applied to the junction ofthe threaded shaft and the nut to ensure a secure coupling which willnot loosen unless torque is applied.

An alternative, or supplemental means of reinforcement for the risers isdepicted in FIG. 6B. A wooden plug 645, which is preferably at least thewidth of the load beam, is configured to substantially fill the crosssectional area within the interior of the riser. The wooden plug therebyexerts a resistive force against the interior surface of the riser 603to prevent the indentation and collapse. Guide holes within the woodenplug are preferably unthreaded to facilitate easy insertion andwithdrawal of the threaded shafts 643. The rear load beam 611B depictsan L-bracket embodiment. In such embodiments, a washer plate 647 is notnecessary to prevent the deformation of a load beam.

In the various embodiments of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the load beams 611A, 611Bhave pre-drilled holes which allow the adjustment of risers to the leftor right. Additionally, a riser which is damaged, or which is the wrongwidth or gauge may be removed and replaced. It will be readilyappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that load beams formedby L-brackets do not have pressure exerted against an empty cavity, andtherefore do not need force spreading devices such as washers or washerplates to distribute force over a greater area.

In addition to the potential indentation of a hollow load beam or hollowriser, due to excessive tension imposed by a bolt, FIG. 6C illustrates ariser 603 experiencing a downward force F on the support deck 653resulting in a splaying of the left and right sidewalls 655.

FIG. 6D illustrates alternative embodiments of flanged risers whichprevent splaying, and eliminate the need for washer plate on the supportdeck of a riser. Riser 661 comprises outward turned flanges 663, eachflange having at least one through-hole 665 near the proximal end of theriser, and at least one through-hole 667 near the distal end of theriser. Threaded bolts 669 (shown in exploded view) are inserted throughthe through-holes 665 and secured to a load beam (not shown) or otherstructurally adequate member of a shelving assembly. The riser deckcross beam 675 is an L-bracket having a vertical ledge and a horizontalledge, with through-holes 677 disposed along the horizontal ledges ofthe riser deck cross beam.

FIG. 6E displays an alternative embodiment of a flanged riser 679 havinginward turning flanges 681 with through holes for securement to a loadbeam by threaded bolts, as depicted and explained in conjunction withFIG. 61). Because of the use of L-Bracket load beams in conjunction withflanged risers, the threaded bolts compress metal against metal in theembodiments of FIGS. 6D and 6E. As a consequence, no washer plate isrequired to distribute weight across a large surface, eliminating thecost of washer plates and wooden inserts discussed previously.Accordingly, flanged risers used in conjunction with L-Bracket loadbeams can reduce or eliminate the possibility of several potentialcatastrophic failures of metal risers.

As depicted in FIG. 6F, a nose cone 683 is advantageously attached tothe proximal end of a riser to prevent warehouse personnel or customersfrom cutting themselves on sharp edges, particularly on forwardprotruding risers on lower shelves. Without limiting the appended claimsto any one embodiment, nose cones can be advantageously formed from hardrubber such as used in hockey pucks formed into a rounded shapeprotruding from the proximal end of a riser is tough enough to resistdestruction by fork lift blades, and

yet soft enough to protect warehouse employees or consumers from cuttingor scraping themselves on a metal riser.

FIG. 7 depicts a shelving section comprising a left outer riser 701, aright outer riser 703, a left center riser 705 and a right center riser707. A channel stop 709 ensures that a forklift machine driver does notmistake the area between the left center riser in the right center riseras an insertion channel. This distinction may be further enhanced by theuse of one color for a channel stop in another color for at least thefront ends of the left outer riser 701 and the right outer riser 703. Anadvantage of the embodiment in FIG. 7 is that left and right forkliftblades respectively entering the left channel 713 are separated from thecenter line 717 of the shelving section to ensure a greater minimumstability of a package being retrieved by a forklift machine. Inembodiments where in the spacing between risers is adjustable, channelstops of multiple alternative sizes can be attached and detached fromthe ends of center risers 705, 707 attachment points 719. A singlecenter riser having the width W6 can also be used to the same effect asthe embodiment depicted in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 depicts an alternative embodiment wherein separate shelvingsections 801, 803, 805 share a sided riser 811, 815 with an adjacentsection. Each set of parentheses within the figure defines the width ofa shelving section, which is further identified by dotted linesextending below the distal ends of the parentheses. Section A of riser811 comprises the right side of riser of shelving section 801 section Cof riser 811 comprises the left side of riser of shelving section 803.Section B of riser 811 represents a neutral space between sections 801and 803. The width of the neutral space B is preferably between 2 inchesand 12 inches. However, embodiments of less than 2 inches and greaterthan 12 inches are envisioned.

FIG. 9 depicts a side elevation view of adjacent high-rise shelvingstructures. The left hand shelving structure has metal risers forgranting fork blade access to a package. The right hand shelvingstructure utilizes traditional shelving technology, and thereforerequires storage on traditional wooden pallets. As discussed above, aforklift machine is often required to drive forward in a calculatedspeed with the distal end of the forklift blade scraping the warehousefloor in order to slide the fourth of blades beneath a package. The useof plastic or cardboard “feet” integral to a disposable palette allows acorporate machine driver to insert forklift blades beneath a package ina more controlled manner. Such feet, however, are frequently limited toone or two inches in height. Although such an elevation can enhance theuse of a forklift machine on a warehouse floor, this elevation is notsufficient by itself to allow a forklift machine driver to retrievepackages stored overhead in a high-rise storage shelf as depicted inFIG. 9. Accordingly, the advantage is gained through the use of metalrisers as shown in the left hand high-rise shelving assembly of FIG. 9,is not obviated through the use of “feet” commonly found on disposablepallets.

As a forklift machine approaches a shelf, pallets and objects on highershelves become more difficult to see clearly. Accordingly, embodimentsare envisioned wherein the height of the risers, and/or the width of theinsertion channels increases with higher shelves to compensate for thedifficulty in aligning fork lift blades properly on higher shelves.

FIG. 10 depicts a wire deck embodiment of a riser configuration of FIG.6A.

FIG. 11 depicts a riser deck embodiment such as depicted in FIGS. 4, 5and 6D. Riser 679 comprises sidewalls 663 with outward turned flanges655, each flange having at least one through-hole 665 near the proximalend of the riser, and at least one through-hole (not shown) near thedistal end of the riser. An embodiment utilizing threaded bolts 669(shown in exploded view) depicts the bolts inserted through thethrough-holes 665, through holes 677, and secured to a load beam 411 orother structurally adequate member of a shelving assembly. FIG. 11depicts a riser deck cross beam 675 in the form of an L-bracket having avertical ledge 677 and a horizontal ledge 673, with through-holes 677disposed along the horizontal ledges of the riser deck cross beam.

1-19. (canceled)
 20. A riser assembly in a generally horizontalorientation for supporting a package, the riser assembly including firstand second risers secured in a fixed position relative to each other,wherein at least one fork blade valley is formed between the first andsecond risers, the riser assembly configured to receive a horizontalinsertion of at least a first fork lift blade into the fork bladevalley, and further configured to permit a vertical lowering of thefirst fork lift blade into the fork blade valley.
 21. The riser assemblyof claim 20, wherein the first and second risers comprise elongatedrigid structures in generally parallel orientation to each other. 22.The riser assembly of claim 21, wherein a distance between the first andthe second riser defines a fork lift blade receiving area for receivingone or more fork lift blades.
 23. The riser assembly of claim 22,configured such that the at least first and fork lift blade disposed ina horizontal orientation can be vertically lowered into the fork liftblade receiving area.
 24. The riser assembly of claim 23, the first andsecond risers comprising corresponding respective bottom surfaces, theassembly further comprising a structural member coupled to the bottomsurfaces of the first and second risers.
 25. The riser assembly of claim24, further comprising a center riser oriented generally parallel to,and disposed between, the first and second risers, wherein a spacebetween the first riser and the center riser defines an opening forreceiving the first fork lift blade, and a space between the centerriser and the second riser defines an opening for receiving a secondfork lift blade.
 26. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the first riseris directly supported by the front and rear load beams.
 27. The assemblyof claim 20, further comprising a front riser deck cross beam affixed tothe front segments of the first and second risers, the front riser deckcross beam affixing the front segments of the first riser in a fixedposition relative to the front segment of the second riser.
 28. Theassembly of claim 27, further comprising a front load beam, wherein thefront riser deck cross beam is supported by the front load beam.
 29. Theassembly of claim 28, further comprising wire decking disposed betweenthe front riser deck cross beam and the front segments of the first andsecond risers.
 30. The riser assembly according to claim 20, furthercomprising a riser deck cross beam secured between the first and secondrisers.
 31. The riser assembly according to claim 30, wherein the riserdeck cross beam is supported by the front load beam.
 32. The riserassembly according to claim 30, wherein the riser deck cross beam isrestricted, at least in part, from horizontal motion relative to thefront load beam.
 33. The assembly of claim 20, wherein at least oneriser is comprised of metal.
 34. The assembly of claim 33, wherein saidat least one riser is a steel riser.
 35. The assembly of claim 20, thefirst riser comprising first and second vertical support wallsterminating at upper and lower riser surfaces, wherein a lower risersurface is disposed against the horizontal surface.
 36. The assemblyaccording to claim 35, further comprising a horizontal flange structureextending from a lower edge of the first vertical support wall.
 37. Ashelving assembly for storing objects, comprising: first and second loadbeams generally parallel to each other; and at least four elongatedrisers oriented generally perpendicularly to the first load beam andgenerally parallel to each of the other elongated risers, each of theelongated risers having a front segment generally resting on said firstload beam and having a rear segment generally resting on said secondload beam, the front segment of each riser being secured to the firstload beam at a selected position along the lateral length of the firstload beam and spaced from adjacent of said at least three elongatedrisers to form two lateral spaces between the two such risers, thespaces defining two generally parallel channels sized and configured toreceive first and second fork blades of a forklift machine.